Sulfonyl-urea based compounds are known to the art as powerful inhibitors of amino acid biosynthesis, which thus may be used to inhibit the proliferation of cells or organisms or even kill them. In the agricultural and horticultural area sulfonyl-urea based compounds, such as Tribenuron .TM. and Metsulforon .TM. are, inter alia, known as highly potent herbicides. Although the high amino acid biosynthesis inhibiting effect of these compounds allows for a desired general reduction in the load on the locus to which it is administered, these compounds may however by nature be harmful to other biological entities if contaminated.
The high amino acid biosynthesis inhibiting effect of sulfonyl-urea based compounds makes it critical to avoid that even trace amounts of the active compounds contaminate biological material where the compounds may have a harmful effect. Thus it is highly desired to reduce the risk of contamination, by reducing amino acid biosynthesis inhibiting effect of remaining amounts of sulfonyl-urea based compounds present e.g. in devices which is used both to administer these compounds to the intended biological locus and to loci where even trace amounts of the sulfonyl-urea based compounds have a harmful effect.